Process for moving material.



lilill'illl' viii"! I I Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

gws l fi Hill W. GOOPEI. PROCESS FOR MOVING MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILEDJAIL13, 1914.

WITN ESSES rn's NORRIS PETERS 00.. PHoro-Luwa. WASHINGTON. D. d

W. COOPER.

rnocsss FOR MOVING MATERIAL.

APBLIOATIOH FILED JANLIS, 1914.

1,106,863. Patented Aug.'11,1 914."

a sums-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR Maze COOPER.

raocnss FOR MOVING MATERIAL. APPLIGATION'FILBD JAN. 13, 1914.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' ITN ESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM COOPER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

PROCESS FOR MOVING MATERIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

Application filed January 13, 1914. Serial No. 811,841.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM COOPER, a citizen of the United States, andresiding in the city of Denver, in the county of Denver and State ofColorado, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements inProcesses for Moving Material, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention consists in a new and improved method of moving or removingminemuck, dirt or other material and in apparatus for performing thesame.

My invention is particularly applicable to mucking or the removal ofdebris after blasting in tunnels or cuts but may also be usedadvantageously in the removal of material from accumulations, such asore piles.

In driving tunnels or open out work, the material blasted from theheading, face or breast of the work is thrown back into the tunnel orcut and must be cleared away before preparations for the next blastingcan be undertaken. In the present practice this debris is removed byshoveling, consuming much time and labor. As such debris is full ofinjurious gases from the explosives used, the work is dangerous to theworkmen who are employed.

My invention comprises the provision of a tunnel structure, having itstop cover removable in sections progressively, on the floor of thetunnel or cut and running outwardly therefrom as far back as the debriswill be deposited in considerable quantity. Said temporary tunnelstructure is buried beneath the debris when the blast is shot. Aportable conveyer is then run up to the outer mouth of the temporarytunnel and inserted into the interior of the same for a distancepreferably greater than the length of the first section of the removabletop. Said top section is then pulled away, permitting the debris to falldown on the conveyer and to be removed thereby to a tram car in the rearof the conveyer. I prefer to fill up the floor of the tunnel or cuttingat either side to the level of the top of the temporary tunnel structurewith logs or other easily handled material, so that with but littlemanual assistance the debris or muck for the full width of the tunnel orcutting may be deposited on the conveyer for removal to the tram car.

When the debris or muck admitted to the conveyer after the removal of atop section of the tunnel has been removed by the conveyer, the conveyeris advanced and inserted under the next removal section of top whichlatter is then removed and the debris permitted-to fall down onto theconveyer to be carried off. This operation of inserting the conveyerbelow a section of the top and then removing the latter is continueduntil the former breast-line of the working is reached, whereupon thelogs and plates composing the tunnel structure and the conveyer areremoved and the drilling of blast holes in the breast is resumedpreparatory to the neXt shots.

The inner or breast end of the tunnel structure is preferably stopped bya downwardly inclined plate to close the channel against the passage ofthe gases and currents of air resulting from the shots, the said platebeing sealed by a little dirt to keep out the gases.

In the case of piles of ore, coal and other material, where a portion ofthe same is to be removed for consumption or reshipment, I may set upone or more of my tunnel structures on the floor of the storage yard andpermit the material to be deposited thereon, whence it may be removed bya conveyer and the progressive removal of the tunnel top plates. It maybe found advantageous in such cases to substitute for the filling oflogs and other material, a trench dug in the floor of the yard in whichmy tunnel structure may be sunk or formed so that the material to behandled will be entirely above the level of the receiving end of theconveyer.

In connection with my process, I show and describe convenient apparatusfor ,accomplishing the same, consisting of a convenient, effective yetdurable and inexpensive tunnel structure and also a portable conveyer tobe operated in connection therewith.

In the accompanying drawings, which are merely illustrative of theprinciples of my invention and not intended to limit the scope of thelatter to the construction shown, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partlybroken away in section of the portable conveyer inserted in the open endof my tunnel structure shown in section, the whole within a tunnelwherein a portion of the muck pile is shown; Fig. 2 is a rear endelevation, partially broken away, of the conveyer; Fig. 3 is an enlargedbroken longitudinal section of the conveyer apron; Fig. 4 is an enlargedcross section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a similar viewalong the line V-V in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section of atunnel in which my temporary tunnel structure is installed; Fig. 7 is asectional view along the line VIL-VII in Fig. 6 showing the forward orbreast end of the temporary tunnel structure; Fig. 8 is a top plan viewof the same, and Fig. 9 is a ver tical sectional view of a permanenttunnel structure sunk in the ground as for use in connection with an oreor fuel pile.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings, in which myinvention is illustrated in connection with a tunnel being driventhrough rock or earth.

A represents said main tunnel and B the breast or heading thereof whichis blasted away at intervals to drive the tunnel. Previously to firingthe shots in the breast I lay my temporary tunnel structure on the maintunnel up to the breast and extending rearwardly toward the mouth of thetunnel a suflicient distance to catch the muck or debris from theblasting. This temporary tunnel structure may be conveniently andcheaply built up as follows: Metal floor plates 1 are first laid uponthe tunnel floor to give an even surface. Said plates preferably extendfor substantially the entire width of the tunnel and are of convenientlength for handling, say ten feet. Upon said floor plates I laylongitudinally of the tunnel logs 2 for the entire width of said tunnelexcept in the center where I leave a channel longitudinal of the tunnelfrom the breast. This channel I prefer to make about two feet in width.The spaces left between the outside logs and the rough walls of thetunnel are preferably filled up with poles, 3, or other convenientlyhandled material, to prevent debris from falling down into such spaces.These logs are laid end to end in rows as shown and may be removablyconnected together, as by dowelpins 4. These logs are preferablyprovided in lengths convenient to handle, say from four to eight feet.

The top faces of floor plates 1 are provided with a pair of longitudinalangle irons which serve to stiffen said floor plates and extend upwithin the channel between the inside logs 2. The vertical flanges ofsaid irons are provided at intervals with inwardly extending pins 6. Thetop surfaces of the legs 2 are covered by means of iron plates 7. Thetop of the central channel between the inside logs 2 is covered by aplurality of relatively narrow metal plates 8 which overlap the topplates 7 and are provided with transverse angle irons or brackets 9extending down into said channel and provided with inwardly extendingpins 10 which may be engaged by the upper ends of double-eye bolts 11whose lower ends engage the pins 6, thus removably holding the topplates 8 in place and preventing their disturbance from the effects ofthe shooting. At the breast end of the structure the ends of the legs 2are inclined downwardly to the floor, as at 12, and the ends of saidlogs and the inner end of the channel are closed by an inclined metalplate 13 which may rest upon the inclined ends 12 of the logs. Eye-bolts14 are driven into the ends of the said logs and are engaged by pins 15which also engage hingeloops 16 on the bottom edge of plate 18. Thisdoor-plate is preferably sealed by a little dirt to prevent the entranceof gases or air pressure into the temporary tunnel.

17 are pivoted catches adapted to hold the door plate 18 closed.

When the shots are fired, the muck or debris from the breast is thrownforward, covering the temporary tunnel and the legs 2 as shown at C inFig. 1.

I will now proceed to describe the portable conveyer shown in thedrawings. Said conveyer is mounted on a car D provided with flangedwheels 18 adapted to run on the usual track rails 19 of the tunnel A.The conveyer apron is supported on a pair of trough-shaped frames 20 and21 which are in alinement except that the side plates of the frame 21are spread at the end to overlap and loosely embrace between them theside plates of the frame 20.

22 is a shaft journaled in boxes 23 in the sides of the car D, uponwhich boxes the adjacent ends of the frames 20 and 21 are pivoted, sothat the outer loose ends of said frame may be elevated or lowered asrequired.

Struts or brackets 24, pivoted to the car D are adapted to engage lugs25 on the frames 20 and 21 to hold them at any desired inclination.Within the frame 20 the shaft 22 is provided with a rigidly mounted roll26 which is provided with three circumferential grooves 27.

28 are sprockets located in the side grooves 27 and rigidly mounted onthe roll 26.

Spaced along the frames 20 and 21 are a plurality of idle rolls 29having their ends j ournaled in the sides of the frames and providedwith circumferential grooves 30 similar to the grooves 27 in the roll26.

The protruding ends of the shaft 22 are provided with rigidly mountedsprockets 31 which are connected by means of chains 32 with sprockets 33on the ends of a jack shaft 34 journaled in the car D. A larger sprocket35, rigidly mounted on jack-shaft 34, is connected by a chain 36 with asmaller sprocket 37 on the shaft of a motor, or other suitable source ofrotary power, E. It'is evident that the power roll 26 is rotated at amuch less rate than the motor E.

38 is an endless conveyer-apron of leather, canvas or other suitablematerial, and passing over and under the rolls 26 and 29. The

outer surface of the apron 38 is provided with and protected bytransverse slats or cleats 39 which are of channel cross section to holdthe material and are secured to the apron 38 by means of rivets 40 whoseheads are cleared by the central grooves 27 and 30 of the rolls 26 and29.

41 are longitudinal rows of metal socketplates secured to the inner faceof the apron 38 by means of rivets 42 which also pass through the slats39, as shown. The socket plates 41 are engaged by the teeth of thesprockets 28 to cause the apron to travel. Said sprocket plates areconnected by means of pivoted links 43 so as to relieve the strain fromthe apron or belt. The socket links are cleared by the side grooves 30of the idle rolls 29.

The front end of the frame 20, in advance of the end roll 29, is rovidedwith an angular slide or toe 44 wiiich prevents the conveyer overridingmaterial encountered.

F is an ordinary mine car adapted to receive the material from theconveyer.

The operation of the conveyer is as follows: After the shots have beenfired and the muck or debris thrown down on the temporary tunnelstructure, the conveyer is run along the tracks 19 and the front frame20 lowered to the proper angle to protrude into the temporary tunnelsomewhat past the 1 first top plate 8 and the rear frame 21 is raised soas to discharge into the car F which is run up behind the conveyer. Theapron 38 is then started to travel and the first top plate released, byknocking off the bolts 11, and pulled out, permitting the debris to dropdown onto the apron 38 by which the former is carried to the car F. Witha little manual assistance all of the debris above and on both sides ofthe location of the first plate is discharged upon the apron and carriedaway. When all the debris thus reached isremoved, the conveyer is againshoved forward, followed by the car F, and the next top plate 8 isremoved. This operation continues until all of the top plates have beenremoved and the debris carried away. The debris in advance of thetemporary tunnel is then removed. As the conveyer car D advances beyondthe breast end of the track rails 19, the adjacent logs 2 may be removedand the conveyer car run up onto the floor lates l which will serve as atrack for the w eels 18. The conveyer is then run out of the way and thedrilling of new shot holes in the breast started. When such holes arecompleted and charged, the temporary tunnel is taken apart and moved upand reassembled with its front or closed end abutting against the newbreast; the shots are exploded and the mucking process above describedrepeated.

lVhere my process is to be used for the removal of material from thesame spot, as from a pile of ore or fuel, I prefer to provide a numberof permanent tunnels with tops removable in sections, sinking thetunnels in trenches so that the tops of the former will not be above thegeneral floor surface. Such tunnels may be supplied in parallel witheach other at a distance apart dictated by the character of the materialand the elevation of the pile. Thus in Fig. 9 I show a trench G sunk inthe earth and lined with cement 45 and closed on top by means of metalplates 8*. It is evident that material piled over the tunnel may beremoved by the conveyer by the removal of the top plates 8progressively.

It is evident from the foregoing that my invention greatly facilitatesand shortens the process of moving loose material of any kind, thus verymateriallyreducing the cost of handling.

What I desire to claim is The process of tunneling or cutting, whichconsists in installing a temporary tunnel structure with the top thereofremovable in sections; blasting the breast down onto said structure; andthen removing said top sections progressively toward the breast andremoving from the tunnel the material thus deposited therein.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Penna, this 12th day of January, 1914.

WILLIAM COOPER.

Witnesses:

E. A. LAwRnNoE, A. W. FORSYTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

